A 51-year-old man in Florida, Derek DeWayne Vaughn, has been arrested and charged with the murder of his 77-year-old mother, Jerry Lea Vaughn. Authorities say he brutally stabbed her before shooting her in the head, and later complained about the tightness of his handcuffs while being arrested.
The Deadly Attack
The violence began on Monday evening when Jerry Vaughn called 911 at around 8:30 p.m., saying, “Help me, help me, my son just stabbed me, he is coming to kill me.” The call remained open as she screamed for help.
When first responders arrived at the family home, they found Derek Vaughn outside, along with his wife and two children. He was immediately detained.
Derek Vaughn’s Chilling Confession
Derek Vaughn reportedly did not hesitate to confess to killing his mother. After being placed in handcuffs, he allegedly told officers, “I mean, I know I killed my mom, but that one is uncomfortable,” referring to the tightness of the handcuffs.
At the scene, investigators said Vaughn made several disturbing statements about the killing. He admitted to initially stabbing his mother with a butcher knife. When she didn’t die, he claimed that “God told him to get his father’s gun and shoot her in the head.” He further referred to his mother as “the devil,” stating, “I killed the devil.”
The Murder and Its Aftermath
Emergency medical personnel transported Jerry Vaughn to UF Health Spanish Plaines Hospital in The Villages, but she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead later that night.
Derek Vaughn used a butcher knife to stab her “in the heart,” and a firearm belonging to his late father to shoot her in the head, according to investigators.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office took over the investigation, as the home fell under their jurisdiction. Derek Vaughn was arrested and charged with dangerous and depraved murder without premeditation, as well as a weapons offense for firing in an occupied dwelling.
Neighbors React to the Tragic Incident
Neighbors were shocked by the crime, describing Jerry Vaughn as a loving and caring woman who often opened her home to others, including her son and his family, who had been living with her. One neighbor remembered Jerry Vaughn as a bright presence in the community, regularly attending social gatherings and caring for neighborhood children.
Family friends expressed difficulty in understanding the tragedy, especially given Jerry Vaughn’s devotion to her family. “That her family turned on her, that’s very hard to process,” one neighbor said.
Mental Health Evaluation and Legal Proceedings
Derek Vaughn underwent a mental health evaluation and was deemed to understand right from wrong. He has no prior criminal history. He is currently being held without bond at the Sumter County Jail.
Vaughn was scheduled for a court appearance on Wednesday, although public records were not immediately available.
